‘Of 2,100 registered drivers, only 400 turn up’: How harassment is hollowing out Pune railway station’s prepaid auto service

The Rickshaw Mitra scheme was designed to address a long-standing problem at railway stations: passengers, particularly women and those arriving late at night, being overcharged or pressured into paying inflated fares. Under the scheme, passengers declare their destination at the booth, pay the RTO-approved rate of Rs 17 per kilometre, and receive an authorised receipt before boarding. There is no room for surge pricing.

Rahul Dsouza (name changed due to safety concerns), who has been associated with the prepaid facility since its launch, says the harassment is a daily reality. “There’s a group of around 60-70 auto drivers who regularly threaten us and charge passengers two to three times what we charge. For a ride that should cost around Rs 95, they demand Rs 250 or more. And when passengers come to us, these drivers try to block them or intimidate us,” he said.

The situation has also taken a toll on the number of drivers willing to work at the prepaid booth. Of the 2,100 drivers registered with the facility, only around 400 are currently operating; the rest have either been pushed out by the constant intimidation or driven away by the lack of space, with the rival group having occupied a large portion of the area designated for the prepaid service.

“We have complained to the police multiple times. Sometimes they act, book a driver or two, but things go back to the way they were within days,” Dsouza added.

Acknowledging the complaints, Ganesh Chavan, PSI at Bund Garden Police Station, confirmed that action had been taken against two rickshaw drivers on Saturday and said the crackdown would continue.

“We will not tolerate any threatening or intimidation between drivers. Regular action will be taken against those harassing the prepaid rickshaw drivers, and if law and order are not maintained, strict action will follow,” Chavan said.